Tramp Stamps and other Tattoos

Trampstamp: Is it a prerequisite now that any woman between the ages of 18 and 25 have one of these? Even in the work place you cannot go a day without seeing one. They are everywhere and the chicks sure don’t have a problem making sure they are seen. It is almost like a craze…like the whole Cabbage Patch Kid craze of the 80’s in that every chick has to have one these days.

I know this subject is a bit touchy (no pun intended) as there are some readers to my blog who I know have one but they got theirs before “tramp stamp” was even a pop culture word. Before there was a mad rush, blue light special on them. Before women had them and let them be seen in a professional work place. So, sorry if this blog of the name of that certain tattoo offends anyone out there.

It’s not even that they are that bad but just that every chick you see now has one. I am not that much against Tattoos (heck, my wife has one) but these things….There needs to be at least a 20 year moratorium on these.

Tattoos (no, not him) in general need a moratorium on them. Is it some sort of rite of adulthood to get one? They used to be just a novelty and if someone had one, it was “Wow! Really? Let me see!” but now, it’s “Yaaaaawwwwwwn….oh! A tattoo? Yeah, I got like 50 of ’em!” Can we get a 20 year moratorium on tattos in general?

Hey, what’s with those stretched out earlobes? It’s bad enough we have to see some kid flicking around their pierced tounge while he/she takes my money at Wendy’s, but now every checkout and bagger guy at the grocery has big plates in his ears? All of these piercings, stretchings and gigantic tats just scream…” I have NO judgment…I do not have the ability to think past lunch!” If I were the hiring mgr. I would pass on that. Are there no standards at all in workplaces? I mean, even at Wendy’s there should be something besides…”have you got a pulse and a car?…Your hired!” I really want to tell those kids at the grocery store…Hey, nice earlobes! That is going to look SWEET in about ten years!

Yes, I understand that we should not judge others lest we be judged……But when you work in SOCIATY believe it or not there should be and there IS a standard. Have you ever gone to a bank to give your small business proposal and the banker behind the desk has two plates in his ears? Or a peirced tounge? What about your Dr.? What if she comes in with tear tats streaming down her face….doesnt evoke much confidence in her judgement now does it. Hey, all I am saying is if you want to bus tables or run the spin and puke at Six Flags for the rest of your life be my guest. But when you are 18 years old and making some decision about altering you apperiance, the decision you make tells a MUCH about your judgment skills. Now I am sorry if you feel like that is passing judgement on someone but we all do it everyday my friend…yes even you. I won’t judge their salvation status..no no no but as an employer, parent, and citizen we all have to make judgments on people everyday. Super cute dog by the way.

As the assistant manager of a business consulting firm based in Boston, I have seen a wide variety of the characteristics you have described. Yes, it is true, piercings and tattoos make an instant impression on anyone you are interacting with in a professional setting. However, when hiring, I do not know if a person has piercings or tattoos before I invite them in for an interview. I look at their resume, call a few references, and then, if the ‘numbers’ add up, I call and invite them in. I note their tone and attitude on the phone, as well as their command of the English language. So by the time they walk through the door of my office, I already have made several evaluations. If they have piercings and tattoos visible, I will note them, and may even ask about them later in conversation. If they are well groomed, professionally dressed, and have a strong presence, then chances are I will just accept the body art as a personal style choice, because in this day and age, that is all that it is.

What will keep someone from getting an interview at my office is the inability to communicate, or use spell check. When you work in contemporary SOCIETY (not sociaty), you judge an employee by the quality of their work, not their APPEARANCE (not apperiance), whether they have a PIERCED (not peirced) TONGUE (not tounge) or look like an Express model. C.C., your post is rude and disrespectful, and shows a remarkably short-sighted view of the world. Their are many terms for your attitude: prejudice, bias, xenophobic, or just plain uneducated. Judging people based on body art is akin to judging people based on height, hair style, ethnicity, or any of a myriad of other erroneous physical characteristics. These are all things that have no effect on their ability to succeed in their job.

Was it so different during any previous era? The 50’s had the greasers, the 60’s hippies, the 70’s disco, and so on. Yet many of the free-thinking radicals of these periods, the teens and young adults that older generations called trouble-makers and criminals, grew up to wear suits and run major corporations. Tattoos are not a new thing, and men have been sporting/hiding them in the professional world for years. Would anyone tell a World War II vet that he couldn’t have a job at a bank because he had his unit tattooed on his arm?

To give the full basis for my perspective, I am a 28 year old professional with a bachelor’s in Electronic Media Art and Communication and my M.B.A. I attended RPI (undergrad – 3.8 gpa) and Boston University (grad – 3.4 gpa). I have five tattoos (four fully concealed, a fifth that is visible in short sleeves), six piercings in my ears, and, considering that I made over $200,000 last year, I believe my clients take me very seriously.

Word to the wise, don’t pass judgment on people with piercings and tattoos; not only are many of us phenomenal employees, but we may very well be your children’s boss in a few years… and your children will probably be walking through our doors for their interview with piercings and tattoos of their own.

I’m not against tattoos. Some look awesome. Some are layered with meaning so real to the people wearing them. Some give people a sense of belonging. Some mark significant points in the persons life or act as memorials to loved ones.

Tramp stamps (lower back tattoos). Sure, it is the individuals choice. Of course taste is completely subjective. Yes, there are people from all levels of society with them. I’m not saying TS’s can’t hold meaning, but there are a lot of girls out there getting them as a fashion accessory.

Hell yes, you go girl. Remember though, this style of tattoo will be associated with this decade, not unlike Celtic armbands on guys in the early 90’s. Make the decision. But be sure, because it won’t wash off.

I’m tired of decent people being put down because they call a freak a FREAK. Todd Longeri; five tattoos and six piercings. I do not care how much you made last year, you should seek competent mental help.

Allen posted her fourth song on her MySpace personal page, titled “Who’d of Known”, stateing that the track had been recorded for the album but would not be included because of legal issues since the chorus is musically……

And I’m tired of decent people who happen to be artistic and express themselves through tattoos and different body art being put down by people who have problems with tattoos just because they are scared to have them done or think about what they will look like in the future. Personally, when I turn 80 or so, I won’t care about my faded out tattoos. I won’t have to show my body off when I’m 80 so who cares? I’m only 17 and I’m having my second tattoo done tomorrow and I do NOT have a care in the world what people think. I am having a tattoo on the lower back BUT situated to the side and because I’m an art student I happen to have designed my own tattoo and I think it looks fabulous. Crime doesn’t have anything to do with tattoos or piercings e.g. the programme called Rescue Ink
The guys have plenty of tattoos but they still rescue animals that are being tortured by their maybe NOT tattooed owners.